Would the problem be the brake servo or the pump?

TDI 300 Defender 1997. Put a new brake vacuum pump on last year (britpart) and the brakes were slightly better but the pedal still seemed too solid and the effort too much for too little braking. I'm not hearing any servo noise either, and the pedal doesn't have the usual give it should with the engine running. Just about **** myself today trying to stop at the first junction from home so reckon getting it sorted is a priority. Discs, caliper seals, and fluid all newish with no leaks.

Can anyone tell me a definitive test please to see if it's a duff new vacuum pump, or whether I should be renewing the brake servo? Ie should the pump just about suck your finger down the pipe or is the gentle vacuum that it produces as good as it gets?

Cheers!

Have you tried pumping it untill solid with the engine off, then holding the pedal down and starting it?

Land rover brakes do need abit of a man foot to make em work... I nearly put every one through the windscreen in the works vans!

I can't imagine there will be much vacuum as my merc used to use vacuum in the inlet to drive it!

britpart vacuum pump is genuine so not cheap **** ,while engines running pull back seal on pipe going into servo if servo allright you hear air been sucked in as vacuum broken

Karlos28 said:

Have you tried pumping it untill solid with the engine off, then holding the pedal down and starting it?

Land rover brakes do need abit of a man foot to make em work... I nearly put every one through the windscreen in the works vans!

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Done that and pedal does dip slightly on restart.

jamesmartin said:

britpart vacuum pump is genuine so not cheap **** ,while engines running pull back seal on pipe going into servo if servo allright you hear air been sucked in as vacuum broken

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Done that and as you said small rush of air as pipe pulled out.

Thing is it surely shouldn't need a push so hard you are really trying to lock the wheels at 30 mph? I've had this Defender for about 10 years as a works vehicle and about 4 years ago I bought it from my work and the brakes used to be good. All the pistons and seals have been renewed recently along with the brake discs and pads. Nothing has been contaminated with oil.

So you can't hear any hissing when the engine is running?

Karlos28 said:

So you can't hear any hissing when the engine is running?

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There is some vacuum from the pump at the pipe from the vacuum pump, but I couldn't tell if it was hissing because I'm a bit deaf and the motor is too noisy. It sticks it to my finger OK and i'd imagine you wouldn't want to stick it to your bellend but I'm not sure if it's an adequate vacuum to operate the servo to capacity.

Haha! Pump sounds fine to me!

Maybe new servo.. If not its gotta be the disc and pad combo..

Thanks for the replies people!